Untitled! Half based on a book by Marianne Curley
by SplatteredEggs
Summary: It's like, four generations into the future, and weird things happen around Ditzy. Of course, this all relates up to the Guard! If you want to find out more, read it! And then review, of course.
1. The Dream and the Dark Hunk

_**(A/N – okay people, I'm not going to put A/N's all throughout the book, just here to tell you constructive criticism is welcome, but be nice since this is my first fanfic! Okay. That's it. R&R!)**_

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_Sweat pours down my face, and is mixed with the blood from the scratches made by each branch that whips past my face as I run. It stings, but that's not my main problem. My feet are pounding on the ground at the exact same speed as my heartbeat, which at the moment, is pretty fast. My hand is tightly clasped around the hand of my sister, only six years old. Her deep blue eyes are filled with worry, and tear tracks streak through the dirt and grime on her face. I feel like we've been running for ages, yet the beast behind us doesn't seem to tire. I feel a tug on my arm and watch as my sister trips over a tree root and falls. I hear a loud crunch from my sister's leg, but another sound scares me more. A roar. The beast is catching up.  
"Neriah! Get up!" I scream, my eyes filling with tears for the millionth time in the past hour. Blood runs down her leg and I know she won't get up in time, even if she could. No! I scream and am so scared I nearly run away. But I know I could never leave my six year old sister there. I stand up to face the beast that will arrive any second. A loud thundering announces its arrival and I recline as I get my first proper look at it. It has black fur, stained red/brown with what looks like blood. Its face is that of a wolf, except a little more humane. It could easily be mistaken for a wolf, if it wasn't for the size of the beast, and the fact this one ran on its hind legs. I'm beginning to think it's a werewolf, except there isn't a full moon tonight. I stare into its horrible yellow eyes; a picture I know will be lodged in my brain forever. The beast hesitates as it sees me standing there, arms on hips, death glare spread wide across my face but it still moves in for the kill. It wants my sister – and I want to know why. But it's too late. The monster is bending over my sister, completely obstructing her from my view. _

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I scream and sit up in bed. Sweat is pouring down my face and my heart is beating just as fast as it was in the dream. I breathe heavily, my chest rising and falling like a trampoline.

Well, that dream was new. Weird, too. Neriah enters my room, teddy bear in one hand, and she's sucking her thumb. She looks worried.

"Ditty? You okay?" she asks. Neriah's five, and the sweetest girl I could ever imagine. I love her to bits, and would do anything for her.

"Yeah, I'm fine Neriah, don't worry about me." She smiles, and I hug her. I yawn. "I'm going to have a shower okay? Why don't you put on some clean clothes and wait for me in your room?" Neriah nods, and runs off to her room.

I have a shower, my mind thinking over the dream. I can't make sense of it. I'm only thirteen, and Neriah is five. But in the dream we were older – I'm sure of it. And what was the wolf thing following us? I've never encountered anything like that – only in a book.

I spend 15 long minutes having a nice hot shower and shampoo my hair twice without realising it. By the time I'm done I've come to the conclusion that I read too much and need to find some new TV shows.

After getting dressed, I walk into Neriah's room and do her hair. I style her long, hip-length black hair into two plaits down each side that make her look like an angel, but then again she looks like one anyway. 

I glance at the clock. 7:15am.  
"Come on Neriah, let's have some breakfast before Daddy drops us off at school." I said. Neriah and I are both starting the same school, a massive one that holds what seems like millions of pupils (It has classes all the way from Nursery to Year 11) and we're both in the same building for registration.

We walk in when Dad has dropped us off, and instantly Neriah is wrapped up in people wanting to meet her. I smile at how friendly five and six year olds are, and instantly wish that people of my own age would act the same way.

After registration, I walk into first lesson and suddenly three separate wolf whistles are called into the air. I roll my eyes at the three boys leaning back in their chairs, chewing gum. It's obvious they're supposed to be the 'bad boys' of the class, but they don't impress me or amuse me.

I move on. A teacher hands me an exercise book and says "Find a spare seat and copy down the title and the date," her eyes flick over a register in front of her. "…Ditzy?"

I nod.

The only spare seat is next to a boy with dark hair, dark eyes, and light skin. He's a total hunk. He looks a bit gothic, but I can tell his hair colour is natural, so I don't judge him – yet.

I bend down over my exercise book, writing the date and title in my neat script. 

I feel someone watching me and my pen stops as I look up to see the boy next to me watching me. He quickly looks away. I bend down again, leaning on my arm to hide my smile.

I write for half of the lesson and when Miss Potts (I found out the name earlier) hands me a test and tells me it's to see what level I'm working at, I quickly complete it. I walk up to her desk, and she lowers her half moon glasses and stares out the top.

"Yes?" she asks in a tone, obviously meaning she doesn't want to be disturbed. 

"I've…um…finished my test." I say, quite intimidated now. Her eyebrows raise until they almost disappear behind her fringe.  
"Already?" she asks. "You still have three quarters of your test time left! Have you checked it?" 

"Yes, Miss." I say and she holds out her hand for my test. I go sit in my seat and start catching up on the textbook work the class has been doing while I was doing my test.

Next thing I know, a hand slaps down the test on my table.  
"All correct. Well done. See me after this lesson." I'm a bit shocked, but I am pleased with my test score. I glance across at the handsome hunk, and find him watching me again.

"Stop it." I grumble, but he doesn't take any notice. He keeps on staring.

"Full marks? Did you cheat?" he asks, totally serious.

"No!" I say horrified. I look into his eyes which I now realise are a deep shade of green and instantly regret it as a blush creeps over my cheeks. 

"Wow." He says, and that's it. That's all I say to him for the whole lesson.

At the end of the lesson I walk up to the teacher's desk.  
"You wanted to see me, Miss?" I ask. 

"Yes, Miss Stewart. This was a very high level test! Your marks are outstanding. Even our top student got six questions wrong! I am forced to ask; did you cheat?"

"No!" I say. "I didn't even know I had a test today!" Miss Potts considers this, and realises it's completely true, and there's no way I could've cheated. 

"Okay, Miss Stewart. Pass your book here please." I do so, and her eyes trace over my days work, and she seems to have made a decision. "This is exceptional work. You have got further with the tasks set than the rest of the students in this class, and you had less time than them! I will be setting some challenges a little harder than this tomorrow and I will see how you cope. That's it. You may go to second lesson now."

By break time I've made a few new friends; Jessica, Lucy and Skye. They're gossiping about some fight that apparently happened yesterday. Jessica, noticing I'm left out, nudges the others and nods towards me. They get the hint and turn the conversation onto me.

"So, braniac, seen any cute boys yet?" Lucy asks, moving a bit closer to be, her blonde hair blowing in the wind.

I smile.  
"Well, there is this one boy…" 


	2. Nice Teachers, Nasty Teachers, and Nick

**(A/N Okay, so I lied about the A/N's. Big deal! I'm glad you liked the last chapter, here's the second! Hope you like it! PS: They live in England, so all the different classes may sound weird to you, eg: Reception. It's easier for me to make them live in England ever though Angel Falls is actually in Australia, I think it said in the book, but it my story it's in England so I can relate.)**

I come home from school, grinning, 'coz I'm so happy. I made a few friends, had contact with a cute, mysterious boy, and I got top marks in all my tests! I knew I was a good student but – wow!

I walk in the front door and Neriah's already there. The kids in Reception get off earlier than us, and Neriah's full of energy! She's talking so fast, I almost can't hear her. 

"Hey Ditzy, how was school? I loved it I made loads of new friends and our teacher is really nice and cool and smart and funny and I've been waiting _ages_ for you - come on let's play! I'm so bored. "

I'm a little startled at this, but I sit down and play anyway. Dad's leaning at the door and makes me jump when she speaks.

"Wow, you understood that? She's been talking non stop since she came home and she's talking way too fast for my poor old ears! Maybe you should stay home and I'll go to school in your place!"

"Gawd, Dad, you made me jump!" I laugh, and resume playing with Neriah.

When 'bed time' comes (we don't have fixed bedtimes but we always end up going at the same time anyway) we tuck Neriah in first, tell her a bedtime story and kiss the top of her head as she sleeps.

Me and Dad say goodnight to each other in the hallway, and go to our separate rooms.

I toss and turn for ages, remembering the creepy dream that I had last night. Somehow though, after hours and hours, I manage to fall asleep.

I wake up the next morning, happy. No creepy dreams! Wahoo! My clock tells me that I still have fifteen minutes before I have to get up, but I can't go back to sleep. I consider myself lucky for last night, but wouldn't be surprised if I have them tonight.

I have my shower fifteen minutes early, and as I come out my alarm stars beeping. It's not exactly my wake up alarm, I always wake up before it anyway, but it's my Neriah alarm.

Right on cue Neriah comes bursting through my bedroom door and starts off about school again. Man, she really loves it.

"Neriah, sweetie, I'm going to go get changed okay? I'll be out in one minute."

I go into my bathroom and as I start getting changed my mind wanders. I have so many questions that no-one can answer. Why didn't I have that dream last night? Why would I only have it once? Shouldn't it be a reoccurring dream, lodged in my brain for some deep psychological reason? As I think these words, a pair of great, big yellow eyes flashes into my brain. The beast's eyes.

A minute later I come out of the bathroom to find Neriah poking and prodding the buttons on my clock to make the beeping stop.

"Here, honey, it's this one." I push a deep blue button in the centre of the clock, and the beeping stops.

"Come on, let's get you dressed and we'll go to school." Dad wasn't going to drop us off at school today; I'd have to take Neriah up myself.

When I drop Neriah off at her classroom, I kiss the top of her head, say goodbye and then watch her get swamped in the crowd that surrounds her. 

"Bye Nathan, see you after school," I hear a voice to my right say. I turn around, and kneeling on the ground, is the boy from my class. Nathan, who I can only assume is his little brother, is a spitting image of Mr Hunk. Dark eyes, dark hair, but his skin is slightly darker.

"Bye Nick!" Nathan says, and runs off to join the crowd. So THAT'S his name. Nick. It suits him perfectly.

Nick gets up, and looks a little startled to see me standing there, watching him, and he comes over. 

"I never knew you had a little brother!" I say. Nick stares into my eyes.

"I never knew you had a little sister." He replies, keeping his cool. I smile. 

"You saw me?" I mentally hit myself on the head. What a stupid question! Of _course _he saw me; otherwise he wouldn't know I had a sister!

"Yeah," he said, and we're both quiet for a minute. Then he says: "She looks like you."

"Your brother looks like you." 

"Touché." **(A/N If you haven't heard this before Google it coz I haven't a clue how to explain what it means. Pronounced Too-shay) **We walk up to registration together, mainly silent, the electricity between us saying enough for both of us.

In Science Miss Potts sets me a whole different task to everyone else. While they're copying up the date and title, she summons me to her desk to collect work. She hands me a book titled GCSE Chemistry with a note of instructions attached on the front.

"Now, I don't expect you to find this easy, so just come to me if it's too hard." She says. I go and sit down in my seat and turn to the appropriate page in the book. I was doing chemical analysis', and I had to fill in the gaps. It was so easy! 

I got a shiver down my spine, and knew Nick was watching me. I looked at him and his mouth was hanging wide open.

"You can do that? How the hell do you know..." he looks over my shoulder at the text book in front of me "What normally happens when you heat solid organic compounds? We're only just learning what compounds are!"

"Easy," I say, frowning a little. "They'll normally have burn marks of black sooty carbon." Nick's eyebrows raise. He shakes his head and turns back to his work.

Ten minutes later I've finished all the work and I decide that I should go up to the teacher and ask for more.

"Finished already?" she says, and I can tell she expects it to all be wrong. She rummages through some folders. "I'll take your book and mark it now. You can complete this sheet while you wait." I take the sheet and quickly finish it and sit there waiting for my book back.

She comes along a couple of minutes later and hands me my book back. "Well done, Ditzy," she says, seeming distant. "Wonderful work. Have you finished with that sheet yet?" I hand her the sheet and she leans on my desk, marking it.

I look across at Nick, and he's watching intently, not believing I could actually be smart enough to do even average on this. But he saw me do it with his own eyes. So he could have no doubts. He knows I didn't cheat. 

"Well done yet again, Ditzy. This is brilliant work. Did you find it hard?"

"No, Miss. It was easy." The bells rings, only a distant noise in the back of my brain.

"Well then I'll be sure to set harder tasks tomorrow. Off you go." Both me and Nick look around, realising we're the last ones in here.

I head off to History, walking down with Jessica, Lucy and Skye, us gossiping. But I don't get into it properly, because the whole time I can feel Nick's eyes boring into the back of my skull.

We line up outside history, and I watch as all the girls wipe off their make up, tie their hair up in plaits or high ponytails and lower their skirts down as far as they can go.

"What's going on?" I ask Jessica, thoroughly confused.

"We have Ms Streek for History," she says, as if this clears everything up. I shake my head at her, eyes wide, and she realises I don't have a clue who Ms Streek is! "She's this really horrible, strict teacher who lives in her own world in the 1940's and…" She's interrupted as Ms Streek comes out of the classroom and traces her eyes up and down the line that my class has formed themselves into during the last two seconds.

I quickly pull my hair back into a high ponytail, and look at Ms Streek. She looks about forty, she's shorter than every girl in this class, and kinda fat. If she smiled, she'd look like a friendly grandma, but it looks like she's never smiled in her life.

It's only when everyone enters the classroom, and sits in their assigned seats, do I realise I'm going to have to engage in conversation with the wicked witch herself.

I walk up to her and she knits her eyebrows, obviously a warning sign, judging by the way the class have all held their breath and a few even covered their ears, presuming that because I'm new I won't be able to handle a strict teacher. Not a problem though. She doesn't intimidate me.

"Is there something you want?" she asks, her stern voice booming around the classroom.

"Yeah, there is actually," I say coolly, and Ms Streek's face starts turning the colour of beetroot. The class gasps. Not only have I answered a question that students only ever say 'No, Miss' to, but I did it using improper English. Her face flushing is obviously no a sign of embarrassment; this is only another warning sign. I brush it off. "Can I have a book and a place to sit please?" I narrow my eyes at her, sensing she's about to explode, and will her not to.

_Be nice. Come on. You can do it for the new student, cant you?  
_

She opens her mouth, at breaking point, but her face calms down as I think these last words and the next sentence released from her mouth is nothing near an explosion.

"Of course you can Miss Stewart. There's a spare seat at the front here and I'll get you a book now."

I stood in the middle of the classroom as Ms Streek leaves the classroom to get me an exercise book. I can feel the whole class' eyes on me, including Nick's. 

I shrug.

"You just gotta know how to handle them," I say, lying through my teeth.

Well.

THAT was weird. 

_  
_


	3. The Past

**(A/N - ******** I've only had 2 people review so far. If you read this, please review, even if you thought my story was rubbish! I want to know what people think!)**

Ipick up Neriah after school, and as it turns out Ms Streek doesn't really like little children, resulting in a whole class detention, even though they're only five. All because a girl yawned. She kept a _whole class _of _five year olds_ in because a single girl yawned! Wow, Ms Streek really needs to get a life.

I mention this to Neriah.

She giggles, and I think how sweet a sound that is. A melody to my ears.

Then I ask a stupid, stupid question. Well, the question itself isn't stupid; I am just stupid to ask it.

"So, Neriah, made any friends yet?"

"Yeah! There's Joanie, who I really like and she's got the nicest hair, all blonde with these brown streaks…" And she went off into one of her rants. I stop listening at around this point, realising the huge mistake I had just made in asking that question.

I stop listening altogether really, until we turn down my road and a name Neriah says triggers something in my brain to make me stop daydreaming and concentrate on my sister.

"…and then there's Nathan, he's really cute and he's like, my best friend-" I interrupt her.

"Nathan Daniels?" I ask, (I found out Nick's surname in History, 'coz Ms Streek calls out people's full names when she takes the register) and Neriah nods and then furrows her brow.

"How did you know? You haven't even met him!"

"Oh - his brother, Nick, is in my class," I say, and picture Nick's perfect face in my mind, but I can't seem to get it right. Nick's face is one that people need to see to believe anything could ever be that beautiful.

I was going mushy!!!!!!!!! No!!!!!!!! Ditzy Stewart, mushy? No way!

"Ahhh…" Neriah says, a knowing look on her face. "You like him!"

I swear, this girl's too smart! She's only five!

But then Neriah's always been smart. She said her first work at just three months old, and she learned to read when she was one year old. Do you know how much that freaked my dad out? I was the same though, though Neriah lived three more silent weeks than me, but she learnt to read earlier.

She was definitely the brightest kid in her class in our old school, and unless theirs some kid in her class that's even more freakish than she is, she is now as well.

Well I guess it runs in the family. Dad's smart, so is Neriah, and I am too…I guess.

As for the rest of my family… well… I don't really have any. Dad's an only child, we never talk about my grandparents and my mum, well, I'd rather not think about her. She left when I was eight, and she was twenty five. Neriah had only just been born.

When Mum left, I asked my dad why. All he said was. 'She's changed.' I never brought the subject of my mum up again, but even now I remember the look in his eyes when he spoke about her. Pure love.

But after she left, I took it upon myself to care for dad, thinking her leaving must have broken his heart. But it didn't. He seemed fine. 

And to this day, I still ask myself; why wasn't he more hurt? Didn't he love my mum?

I push the subject out of my mind, and come back to reality. Neriah's looking at me expectantly, waiting for my reply to something she said. It takes me a while to remember what it was. 

"I so do not like Nick!" I say. "I bet you like Nathan though!"

"I do not!" she says, pouting a little and folding her arms. I tease her as I unlock the front door.

"Neriah and Nathan sitting in a tree…" I sing, and abruptly stop to gasp at the sight waiting inside. 

A wolf, no, a man, is waiting with five creatures surrounding him. They looked so strange; their bodies were completely birdlike – kinda round with dark, scraggly, limp-looking feathers – and their arms were half-formed into wings! What's more, they had perfectly normal human faces, but their eyes… they had the weirdest eyes. They look so… lost. The overall effect was an eerie one.

I refocus my attention to the wolf, the leader. A closer look makes me instantly realise that he is the beast from my dreams. A closer look at his eyes, that is. The image of those horrible yellow orbs has lingered in my mind ever since I was woken up by that awful nightmare - I've managed to push them aside, out of my mind, but at seeing this… creature once again they flash up, just as terrible as before. 

"The girl...give me the girl…" the monster says, his voice thin and raspy. He points at Neriah. His finger is long and knobbly, and the nail is horrible, all yellow and about 3mm thick. I cringe.

What scares me most is that Neriah lays her bag on the hall carpet, yawns and walks right over to the wolf man, making my heart lurch with worry. She was walking straight into his arms! 

"Neriah!" I cry, and she turns around.

I blink.

The creatures have gone.

"What? Is there something wrong?" she says, her eyes wide. 

"Uh…no, Neriah…nothing…" Suddenly my head is splitting with pain, and I move a hand to my head, as if the action will make it better. "Uh…I'm going to lie down for a bit. I have the most awful headache."

"Okay."

In my room the pain eases. I look around at everything and notice that on my calendar I have made a huge mess of one particular day in a couple of weeks time.

I walk over to the calendar, stumbling over a pile of clothes on my bedroom floor, and peer closely at the calendar. That can't be right! Today's only the…I have a look at my watch to check the date today…wait that _is_ right.

I walk back over to my bed and lie down.

Great. 

My birthday is in a week and two days.

And I have no friends to share it with.

Lying there on my bed I think about my birthday. I could invite over Jessica, Lucy and Skye, or go shopping with them, but I feel distant from them. I take a moment to realise that I'm not actually that friendly with them.

After the first day, when they were curious to find things out about me, what my story was, who I liked, what sort of music I was into, they kinda lost interest in me. I now realise that they were just looking for gossip, not friendship.

I mentally slap myself on the head. How could I have been so stupid! I bet Nick's the same, just gossip hungry. But something inside me doubts that.

I groan. Nick! I had told them I liked Nick!

Okay.

My life…is over.

_**No Ditzy,**_I heard in my head. _**Your life is just beginning.**_

I sit up in bed.

………What…the…hell!………


	4. The Little Voice In My Head

**A/N: Just to save later confusion, **_italics _**are Ditzy's thoughts, **_**bold italics **_**are the Voice, and **normal writing **is, well, the story! Enjoy!**

Aaaah I just read some other stories and realised I'm supposed to put disclaimers in!

Although I think I'll start putting them in when one of my chapters include something that belongs to Marianne Curley (who is a BRILL author!), which should be Chapter 7 I think!

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Okay. I was freaking out. I have a voice…in my head. I'm going crazy.

I sit down and think.

_Okay, I'm going crazy. Loopy. Mental. Cuckoo._

_**No, Ditzy. You aren't. You're special.**_

Aaaaah! That creepy voice again!

_Special? What do you mean, special? I'm not special!_

_**You are destined for great things Ditzy. Never doubt yourself.**_

_Okay. I'm __definitely__ crazy. Who are you, anyway? _

_**You are a key to the future and past of this planet, Ditzy. You're not crazy, you're special.**_

_For the last time, I'm not special! You've got the wrong girl! So get out of my head._

_**I haven't got the wrong girl. It was inscribed before your birth that you were destined for great things. Think about it. You've had weird experiences over the last few days, yes?**_

I thought about it. Well there was the dream. And the…things…from my dream appearing in the hall, and then gone again at the blink of an eye. And the thing with Ms Streek. And this voice. 

_You're right. Okay 'voice'. Tell me everything._

_**All will be revealed Ditzy. All will be revealed when the Chosen One turns fourteen.  
**_

_Who's the Chosen One?  
Why can't you tell me now?  
When will the Chosen One turn fourteen?  
Who are you anyway?_

_**  
**_No answer. That was it. No voice. No matter how many times I screamed inside my own head for answers. No voice. 

I didn't have time to think about it, because my dad came home. I went downstairs and started cooking dinner.

I yawned. Pasta tonight I think. I'm so tired. I looked in the cupboard.

_Crap._ _No pasta. I'm in the mood for pasta! Plus, it's so easy to cook, and I really can't be bothered tonight. I have too much on my mind._

I turned around, and there was pasta on the side. Hmm. I swear that wasn't there before. Oh well, I'm so tired, I probably got it out without even noticing. 

_**Special, Ditzy. Remember that. Special.**_

_I AM NOT SPECIAL!!!!!!!__****_

At the little voice in my heads sudden reappearance, I started think-screaming (does that even exist?) at the voice to tell me more, but, once again, it disappeared when I actually wanted it there. 

_Typical. _

But the whole thing with the voice had got me thinking about the pasta again. How had that got there? It wasn't there before. I suppose I could add that to the list in my head of weird stuff that's happened around me lately.

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SIX DAYS LATER

"Happy Birthday to you,  
Happy Birthday to you,  
Happy Birthday, to Neriah,  
Happy Birthday to you!"

Everyone cheered.

I looked over at Neriah, and when I saw the tears glistening in her eyes, I realised she was happier than she'd been in a long time.

All her friends were here, all her family, and I was so jealous.

Of course, my life couldn't be that way. That would just be too good for lil' ol' Ditzy, wouldn't it?

Neriah's birthday meant there were only four days to go until mine. I looked around. 

All of Neriah's class were here, congratulating her on turning six and showering her with gifts. She was so lucky.

There were a few older people here too – Grandma, Grandpa, my Dad, my aunts and uncles. I was watching from the shadows and smiling at my sister's luck. I was really jealous, but also glad. I didn't want her to have a rubbish life too.

When the celebration was over, I retreated up to my room and lay on my bed, feeling like I didn't belong. I didn't fit in at school, I didn't fit in at home, I had no friends, and my birthday was coming up in four days and I would be spending it alone. I didn't want to spend it with my family, nor with anyone from school, well, apart from one person.

Nick.

Wow.

I hadn't thought about HIM in a while. I'd felt so alone, so hollow, but when I was around him, I felt whole. I'd gotten quite close with him since I started. He was the only person who I wanted to spend my birthday with. Well, him and Neriah. But no way was that going to happen - I could either spend my birthday with all my friends and family, or none of them.

One minute…

Today was a Saturday, which meant in four days it would be a Wednesday, and I would be at school. So would Nick. Hopefully. So I could spend my birthday with Nick, but no way was I telling him!

On Sunday I played with Neriah, trying out her birthday presents.

On Monday I went to school. Nothing happened. I guess the gossip girls didn't tell.

On Tuesday I was walking down from Science to History with Nick, and I was deep in thought. Only one day to go.

"You okay?" he asked, noticing how I had drifted off.

"Yeah," I said vaguely. "Just thinking."

"Oh. What about?"

"My b-" I started, and then realised I'm not telling anyone. If I don't tell, Nick won't see how nobody cares. "Nothing."

"Tell me…" he said. "You're thinking about your…something beginning with b…your boyfriend?" 

"Nah, I dumped him yesterday for a college boy." I teased, because Nick knew I didn't have a boyfriend. (Thanks to the gossip girls who had tried to hook me and Nick up[Thankfully they didn't actually tell Nick I liked him though!)

"Tell me," Nick prompted. "Or I'll…or I'll tickle you!"

Still I resisted. Stupid me. As soon as we got to the bottom of the stairs he started tickling, making me roll on the floor, giggling while he bent over me, making sure I stayed there. He tickled my sides, my neck until I finally gave up.

"Alright, alright!" I gasped, and Nick stopped tickling. Should I lie to him? No, I was sure he'd know. "I was thinking about my birthday. I'm fourteen tomorrow."

"Oh," he said, and my stomach sank. He didn't care. He thought I wasn't worth it. I straightened up, and brushed my skirt off. I began jogging to History, side by side with Nick. "You're not fourteen yet? Wow, you're young and smarter than the rest of us! That doesn't say a lot about us! What are you doing tomorrow?" he asked.

"Nothing," I sighed. Nick seemed deep in thought. He looked up, surprised.

"Nothing at all? You're not doing anything for your fourteenth birthday?" 

"Nope. If I said I wanted to do something to my dad, he would invite my whole family, and give me invitations for my whole class." I rolled my eyes. "I haven't had a birthday celebration since I was nine."

Nick looked so surprised. He opened his mouth to say something but we were quickly interrupted by Ms Streek, as we entered History.

"Where have you two been? You are approximately," - she glanced up at the clock – "three minutes and thirty two seconds late! Mr Daniels, sit down, and copy the date and title off the board."

Nick went and sat down, and she turned to me. "Miss Stewarts," she boomed. I narrowed my eyes at her.

_Remember a week ago. Remember what happened. Do you want me to show you up in front of the whole class again? Be nice, and I won't do that. Just be nice._

"Please," she said, her voice strained to the maximum at just the thought of saying this word to a student. "Please fix your hair and take your seat." I nodded, and sat down. I got my mirror out of my bag and looked at my hair.

I bit my lip.

Oh no! When Ms Streek told me to fix my hair, I thought she had just meant it was in an inappropriate style!

But no, my hair was sticking out. And me and Nick arriving together, late, out of breath…people were going to think we were making out!

I quickly retied my hair and began copying down the date and title.

Great. 

Just fantastic.


	5. Happy Birthday, Ditzy Stewart

**A/N Sorry this chapter is a bit short, but the last one was super long! R&R please! Chapter 6 up soon!**

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**NICKS POV**  
I walked home from school, thinking. It was Ditzy's birthday tomorrow and she wasn't doing anything. She couldn't not do anything for her fourteenth birthday! It was clear her dad wasn't planning anything, so I'm going to. But the question is what.

Ahead of me, I saw a man get out of his car, and I recognised his face from somewhere. I couldn't place it.

_Flashback  
__I leant against the wall, waiting for my teacher to arrive and open the classroom doors. I had dropped Nathan, my little brother, off at his class only a couple of seconds earlier. Through the window, I saw a car pull up at the school gates, and two girls got out. The older girl had long black hair, layered and floating around her face. She was beautiful. Her face looked like it was carved by angels. The other girl was a mirror image of her sister, still beautiful, but not as stunning. I watch as the older sister walks across the playground, hand in hand with the little one, and I immediately fall in love. A man yells out behind her, and she calls goodbye back to him. Her voice is so beautiful.  
__End Flashback_

I study the man as he walks across the road, and my mind places him.

"Excuse me?" I call, and the man turns around. "Are you Ditzy's father?" The man looks at me suspiciously, and I know he's storing my face in his brain so he'll always recognise me in case I hurt his daughter in anyway. Woah. Over protective dad alert! 

"Yes," he says, and I'm so relieved. "What do you want?"

"Well…" I say, and start explaining my plan to him.

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**Ditzy's POV  
**THE NEXT MORNING

I woke up, breathing quickly, in and out, in and out, as if I'd just run a marathon. That dream again. I couldn't make sense of it. I'd had it every night since Neriah's birthday. I think I knew why.

I was worried about today. I was turning fourteen today, and Neriah was six. Just like in the dream. What if it wasn't just a dream?

Something was different last night though. I struggled to remember, to think what it could be. There was someone else there. A boy, on our side, running from the monster and shadowing my every move. When Neriah fell, he didn't leave. He wouldn't leave my side. I had urged him to run, but he had stuck to me like glue. As the monster bent over Neriah, something had happened but I couldn't remember. However hard I tried, I couldn't remember. I stopped trying and thought. There was one other question bugging me.

_Who is he? The boy that ran with me?_

_**He is a big part of your destiny, Ditzy. The biggest, maybe, depending on where your priorities lie.**_

_Yeah, but who __is__ he? Who are you?_

No answer. Surprise surprise. I got up, and started getting undressed.

SIX LESSONS LATER

The bell rang. I looked up at the clock sleepily. Yes, home time! I look over at Nick, and he's grinning at me. It's kinda freaking me out. He's been like this all day. All secretive, as if he's planning something.

As soon as we get out of class, he grabs my hand and drags me out of school.

"What are you doing?" I cry, but he just raises a finger to his lips. We walk past the Receptions class, and pick up Neriah and Nathan. Nick introduces me to Nathan, and I introduce him to Neriah. She gives me a teasing look and points to Nick behind his back. I roll my eyes at her and she grins. I repeat her motion and she repeats mine.

Still holding my hand, Nick drives us past his house, dropping off Nathan and he drives me and Neriah on towards the woods. Through the woods there is a clearing. Nick sits down and closes his eyes. He looks like he's meditating. I open my mouth to ask him what he's doing, when I see a picnic blanket and a lot of food appear out of thin air. I don't bother to shut my mouth. 

My eyes widen. I look at Neriah, but her back is turned, watching a little rabbit that has warily poked its head out of a hole in the ground. 

"How…but…if…" I stutter, feeling a little faint.

"I will tell you everything, Ditzy, but first, let's enjoy your birthday and just eat. And don't worry about your Dad, I've spoken to him and he knows you two are out here with me. After dinner, Neriah is going home, and we are going to the cinema. My treat!" 

And before me, out of the sky, a birthday cake lowers before me, fourteen candles creating a perfect border for the pink icing saying 'Happy Birthday, Ditzy Stewart'. I gasp. No-one had ever done anything like this for me before. I feel like crying. But I don't. I never do. Neriah looks a bit tearful though. Who can blame her? This is so beautiful. All of it.

_And you thought you weren't lucky. _I say to myself. At least, I think it was me.

I stare at Nick.

"Make a wish," he whispers. I close my eyes. __

I wish Nick liked me.

I blow out the candles in one go.

I hear a roaring from behind me.

_Wrong wish. _

I stare over Nicks shoulder, and my jaw hits the ground.

Oh God.

No.

This can't be happening.

**Okay, so it's short, but I like leaving people on cliffies! Review if you want Chapter 6!**


	6. Fighting for Neriah

**(A/N This is another short chapter, but quite eventful! Chapter 7 will be up soon! You know, that's if I get enough reviews. So review, review, review, review, review!)**

I scream.

Am I daydreaming again? A glance at Nick tells me no.

I'm not.

It's real.

The wolf from my dreams is real.

I look up.

So are the bird guys, who are currently flying above us like vultures, circling in the air. If we stay where we are, we'll be made into mince meat.

Great. 

"Ditzy? What are you doing? RUN!" I snap back into life at Nick's words. Fear pounds into my heart. I feel like collapsing, but I can't.

"Give me the girl, and no-one gets hurt." The creature points a long, knobbly finger at Neriah. I grab my sister's hand, and Nick grabs her other hand. Chills run up and down my arm at his touch. 

"Over my dead body," I snarl, sounding a hell of a lot more confident that I feel. Nick looks at me, a little surprised. 

"Well," replies the beast. "I think that can be arranged." He lunges forward, teeth bared, claws out. We turn and run.

We run in a V form, Neriah at the back, half running, half being dragged across the forest. 

I'm so scared, and my mind is racing. I desperately call for help. From the one person I've been dreading contact with. 

_Voice! Need a little help here! Voice?_

No reply. Typical.

We keep running, twigs snapping under our feet, branches whipping past out faces, forcing our eyes closed for most of the run.

The monster behind us lets rip another roar, which makes us force our feet faster. I'm so scared, my stomach feels like it's about to let me see what I had for my lunch.

Above us there is squawking. I know the bird people are up there, waiting for their master's orders to kill. I gulp, and the creature's let out another squawk.

We've been running for ages - about an hour it seems - by the time it happens.

Neriah's tired, and I've been carrying her for about ten minutes while she regains her strength. I don't know where all _my_ stamina and strength has come from, but I'm not tired. At all. I put Neriah back on the ground, because she says she wants to, and she instantly starts running as soon as her feet hit the ground.

I look over at Nick. He's about of breath, and looks like he's about to faint.

We've been darting in and out of trees, hoping to lose the follower on behind us, but have failed miserably every time.

I'm sweating, I have blood running down my face, and I have been crying so much in the past hour it makes up for all the times I haven't. As I look at Neriah's face, I see tears spilling out of her eyes. Poor kid. She's only fi-six.

Then comes the tug. I look to my right, and see Neriah fall. Just like the dream. I knew it would happen. I hear a _crunch_ and I scream.

"Neriah! Get up!" I hoist her up onto her bum and catch sight of her leg. It's broken; bone sticking out of the skin, and the thought of it is making me want to puke. This was entirely my fault. Tears spring to my mind once again, and I brush them away with the back of my hand. I hear yet another roar, and I know my nightmare is not far behind.

"She's not going to get up." Nick says, appearing once again, out of seemingly nowhere. I had forgotten about him. He collapses on the floor, exhausted. I don't blame him.

"I'm not leaving her," I close my eyes, a stubborn look on my face. "Don't even think about it."

I open my eyes. He looks up at me and nods. I nod back. We're thinking the same thing.

"Go," I say. "You're not involved. You can make it out of here alive."

He shakes his head and simply replies.

"I'm more involved than you think."

I want to protest, but I don't have time. So instead I shut up and turn towards the monster's general direction. I'm startled by another roar, and quickly pull myself together. For Neriah. She's lying on the ground, whimpering, and I swallow. Judging by the roar, the brute is about two, three seconds away.

I take a deep breath.

And get ready to fight for my sister's life.

I racked my brain for what was going to happen next, but last night, in the new version, I had blacked out. I had no idea what was coming, so I gulped and mentally prepared for the worst.

The monster burst out through the trees and spotted Neriah. He sniffed through his nostrils and I know he's sniffing her blood. Creep. He was looking at her hungrily and made his way towards her but his vision was blocked as Nick and I moved in front of Neriah protectively, arms crossed. He growls. 

"Move." He says, voice threatening, and advances towards us.

"No." I am not going to let this monster eat my six-year-old sister! I would normally laugh at how silly that sounds, but I'm too tense.

The monster breaks into a run, gaining two metres every step. He's here in a matter of milliseconds. He lunges forward, about to attack. Nick steps in front of me, protecting me from mister wolf, and the beast takes a massive swipe with its paws and hits Nick across the stomach. A massive gash forms and Nick is thrown 10 feet away and hits a tree. He slumps down, only just conscious. He looks dead.

"Nick!" I cry. He's losing blood badly. I run over to him, momentarily forgetting Neriah. I turn as I remember, and watch the beast bend over her, obstructing her from view.

"Neriah! Nick!" I scream.

I feel anger. How dare that oversized rat attack my family, my friends! I am overwhelmed by the anger, my insides burning white hot. The worry has gone. The fear has gone. All I feel is anger.

Pure anger. I feel my feet lift off the ground, but I hardly notice. 

All I see is a flash of the purest, most brilliant white I have seen. 

Then black. Darkness.

Total, complete darkness.

**(A/N DUN DUN DUUUNNNNNNNNNNN……… don't forget to review for chapter 7! What was the flash? Mwahahaha I like cliffies!)**


	7. The Guard

**(A/N Sorry this is kinda a short chapter. **

**I finally get to put in a disclaimer! Yes that's right…some of Marianne Curley's work is coming in this episode. Wooooo!**

Disclaimer: I do not own Arkarian, his chambers, or any of the stuff in MC's work.

Claimer: I do, however, own the rest!

Anyway – hope you enjoy, and don't forget to review!)

_Last lines from the last chapter:_

_Then black. Darkness._

Total, complete darkness.

_  
_  
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I wake up, but I can't move.

Where am I? Hospital?

I'm lying on something soft and I hear voices around me. It takes me a minute to tune my ears in to listen to what they're saying, and I find myself listening to the middle of a conversation.

"…are you sure? You could be mistaken." A young man's voice. He sounds quite young, 18, 19 perhaps. Maybe Nick has an older brother.

"I'm sure. What I saw…wasn't anything ordinary. But one thing I know – it was definitely her that did it." Nick! Nick's here! What are they talking about? What did Nick see? I rack my brain but I can't remember, however much I try. 

"Nick…" I try to say, but I can't speak. My chest rises and falls and I feel pain stabbing at me because of the effort.  
The unknown speaker leaves, but Nick stays. He holds my hand and watches me. I so badly want to sit up and wrap my arms around his neck, but I'm paralysed.

I wait another couple of hours. People come in, people go out, but Nick never leaves my side. I can feel his presence. Finally, my body starts to wake up.

First it's my arm. I twitch and flex my fingers, stiff, and Nick, who sees this, shouts:

"Arkarian! She's waking up!" 

Arkarian? That's a weird name. Someone yells back at Nick, and I recognise the voice as the one who was talking to Nick earlier.

This 'Arkarian' runs into the room and stands by Nick as, slowly, I wake up. Finally my eyes flutter open, and I see Nick leaning over me.

I am instantly full of energy at the sight of him. 

"Nick!" I yell happily. I through my arms around his neck and he blushes. "Thanks for not leaving." I whisper in his ear, and hug him tighter. I get up off the bed and turn to the other person in the room. He seems to be the one with the answers.

I do a double take, and look over this teenager. He has shoulder length, turquoise hair and as I move closer to him I realise his eyes are a deep shade of violet. Dye and contact lenses. Right? Nick clears his throat, and I realise I'm staring. I prop myself back on the bed.

"Are you feeling alright, Ditzy?" the blue haired guy – Arkarian - says. His voice is full of concern, which is touching, since he doesn't even know me.

"Yeah," I say, holding my head as pain shoots through my head. I straighten up. "I must admit, I'm a little confused though."

Arkarian sighs.

"As are we all, Ditzy. As are we all."

A girl walks in. She's about the same age as Arkarian, and she has the same hair, and the exact same eyes. They must be twins. I wish I was a twin. Life would be so much easier. At this, a flush creeps up Arkarian's cheeks, as he wraps his arm around her face and kisses her on the cheek.

He gives me a stern, but friendly, look, and I bite my lip. _Oops, _I mouth at him. They're _not _twins then! Nick looks like he's trying so hard not to burst out laughing.

The girl looks round, confused. She seems to have no idea what's going on.

But then I realise.

I _thought_ that they were twins. I didn't say it. I _thought _it.

I open and close my mouth, confused.

Nick is trying not to laugh so hard he looks like he's going to explode. Even Arkarian is going red in the face. The girl looks at both of them and mouths at me '_boys'. _I roll my eyes and smile.

"Hey I'm Isabel," she said. I smiled at her.

"Hey I'm-" she stops me.

"I know who you are. Ditzy, right? Nick has been talking non-stop about you." I smile, a little confused.

"Yeah," I say. What has Nick been saying about me? I narrow my eyes at him. He blushes, and hides behind his hair. "Right."

"Ditzy," Arkarian said, now that he has stopped laughing. "I'm sure you must have many questions, so how about we go through to the next room along where there are sofas and we can discuss everything?" I nod. That sounds good. Answers at last.

_**Nicks POV**_  
_**Three hours earlier.**_

I look over at where Ditzy is sleeping soundly. I hope she's going to be alright. I'm so worried about her.

"Don't worry Nick," Arkarian said, reassuring me. "She's going to be fine."

"Stop that," I mumble, mentally putting my mind blocks back up. I had to screen my thoughts from Arkarian. Five years now, and I hadn't once let Arkarian read my thoughts. Blocking your mind from Truthseers was first nature.

I would've done it, if I wasn't so worried about Ditzy. I look over at her sleeping body, and smile. She looks so peaceful.

"Aaah," Arkarian says, his voice teasing. "I know that look." I immediately tear my eyes away from the sleeping angel and straighten my face.

"Shut up," I said, rolling my eyes. "For so many years old, you are so childish. Anyway, what's going to happen to her? I mean, is she ready to be trained and Initiated?"

Arkarian looks over her and frowns.

"She's the one we've been waiting for. She is the one who will end the hell brought to us. Eventually, she won't just save _us_, but the whole world. Ditzy Stweart has great power, unknown to even the Guard. But before she can perform such great tasks and master her power she will need training. Physical skills and development of her powers are crucial to the survival of us and our planet. And for that she will need a Trainer."

I looked up, staring into his deep violet eyes. He knows what I am thinking, and he doesn't need to be a Truthseer to see that.

"Yes, you will be her Trainer, Nick. Because Ditzy is only just about to learn the truth, we will have to wait a while before Initiating her. In the meantime, I suggest you start practicing in my chambers."

I grin and nod.

Only one thing was running through my head.

I was Ditzy's Trainer! 

Wahoo!

**(A/N That was short, and kinda soppy, so you may not like it coz I'm not so good at the soppy stuff! **

**For all of you that haven't read the GoT series, but have decided to read this Fanfic anyway coughs Tina, read the FREAKING BOOKS! Lol!**

**For once, I didn't end with a cliffie! Yay! Hope it didn't bore you then :) )**


	8. Explanations

**(A/N Okay, okay, here's the next chappie! **

I follow Arkarian and Isabel into a room, Nick trailing behind me. I was getting confused now. I open my mouth to say something, but am silenced by the hand Arkarian raises in the air.

"I realise you have a lot of questions, but please ask them after the story, as a lot of them may be answered here. Nick, do you want to…?" Nick shook head, so Arkarian told me. 

He told me everything.

About the Goddess of Chaos, and her evil sidekick Marduke.

About the Final Battle and the previous Guard.

About the Guard's job, and what would soon be MY job.

About the Prophecy.

About the Immortals, Truthseers, and Initiating.

About how they discovered another part of the Prophecy that had been hidden, another part that was taking place…now.

So about basically everything.

Except one thing, I noticed.

"What about the Chosen One?" I asked, and watched as the three of them exchanged looks. Arkarian looked at me, his violet eyes burning into me.

"How do you know about the Chosen One?"

_Oops, _I thought. _Maybe I shouldn't have said that._

_**You had every right to, **_said the Voice, once again popping up at the most inappropriate times. _**Anyway, I can tell you all you need to know.  
**_

I looked up to find three pairs of eyes watching me.  
"Uhh...never mind. Is there anything else I need to know about?"

After the conversation, Arkarian and Isabel left me to wallow in my newly acquired knowledge. Nick stayed, though.

"Why didn't you tell me?" I asked, my voice barely audible. I look down at my shoes, noticing a small tear in the left sole. I hear Nick sigh, and I look up to see him start pacing.

"You have no idea how much I wanted to. Every day I thought about it, and a couple of times I very nearly did, but I remembered my loyalty to the Guard, and I realised I couldn't do it. I kept asking Arkarian when I could tell you, and he kept saying that I would be able to tell you soon, that you would become part of the Guard shortly. It was the only thing that kept me going really, knowing you'd be in the know soon."

We were both silent for a minute, sat side by side on the sofa.

"Oh." I said. There wasn't much else I could say. Nick had always been so strong and emotionless, and here he was, right here, pouring his heart out. I felt something warm, deep down inside me, and it made me feel happy.

What the hell was that?!

**NICKS POV**

After I finished my big speech, I sat down next to Ditzy and was instantly swept away by my thoughts. It was lucky that Ditzy was one of those people you could talk to for hours, but you could also be silent with. It was lucky that Ditzy was one of those people you could talk to for hours, but you could also be silent with.

Did I just say that? I had never done something like that before – I had always kept what I feel to myself.

With so many Truthseers around, you don't exactly block your mind and then show all your emotions and thoughts on your face. So I just closed myself off completely. Okay, some people showed some emotion, but I didn't. I don't know why. I just didn't.

So what came over me to do that? It was beyond me.

Ditzy looked at me, touched, and laid her dainty hand on top of mine. I got this feeling, inside me, something warm. It was weird. Electricity fizzed between us.

I looked up at Ditzy, and I saw her eyes watering. Was she…crying? I blinked and she looked totally normal. Oh. Must've been a trick of the light.

"Come on," I say. "Let me show you the sphere."

**(A/N: Okay, I know I haven't updated in ages, and yes, I know this chapter is **_**really **_**short, but I've been so tied up in school work and I haven't actually been bothered to write anything for, like, MONTHS now. I may update soon, or I might NEVER UPDATE AGAIN unless people convince me that they want me to. And Tina, you better READ THOSE BOOKS!)**


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